Breaking Sarasota News

[Carin4Narron]

Read into it as you may...................

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080122/BREAKING/804343122

[Stephenk29]

To be honest if I lived in Sarasota I don't think I would vote to fund it either. I don't think their economy relies that heavily on the Reds coming their one month out of the year.

[TStuck]

To be honest if I lived in Sarasota I don't think I would vote to fund it either. I don't think their economy relies that heavily on the Reds coming their one month out of the year.

Reds are there far more than 1 month out of the year. We have a class A team there and i believe it is also a rehab site. These too add to the local economy - maybe not millions of dollars annually, but it adds nonetheless. With this initiative failing, I would guess that the Reds would likely pull up all stakes and take all of their operations elsewhere.

[Bip Roberts]

To be honest if I lived in Sarasota I don't think I would vote to fund it either. I don't think their economy relies that heavily on the Reds coming their one month out of the year.

Everything ive heard is that the Reds bring a ton of money to the city

[Stephenk29]

Here's a pamphlet handed out encouraging people to Vote Yes. The Stadium itself generates 60 million dollars year, a renovation would expect to increase that to 80 million.

http://yes4baseball.com/documents/projectsqa.pdf

[AmarilloRed]

Sarasota update

I just watched the Sarasota County Commission meeting via the Web. First, I'm very thankful I cover baseball and not county government. Second, I think the Reds chances of staying in Sarasota are very, very slim.

The Commission did not have the votes to approve a proposal to move on the new plan to renovate Ed Smith Stadium, largely because a 4-1 vote is needed to approve the plan. The commission voted 3-2 to move on with the plan. But it would take to a 4-1 vote, so essentially it failed 3-2. The new plan called for the county to contribute in $17.8 million in tourist taxes dollars.

But it's not quite over. To make it a bit confusing, the Commission also voted:

--To move on with the plan if it's changed to use only $7.9 million in county money (thus matching the State allocation).

--To advertise an ordinance to change the rules that require a super majority to approve a plan. They'll vote on that in two weeks. If that passes, a 3-2 vote would be needed to move on with the plan and commission would likely do that.

--To put the plan to use the $17.8 million in tourist tax for the renovation of Ed Smith Stadium on the ballot.

"In my estimation, the door is still open," commissioner Shannon Staub said.

The meeting was civilized, but there is strong disagreement. Staub and Joe Barbetta strongly support keeping the Reds. Nora Patterson is against using $17.8 million for the project. She was one that brought up matching the state's $7.8 million. Jon Thaxton also opposes the plan. Paul Mercier voted for it, but he wants a project of bigger scope.

While it's not dead in Sarasota, I would think the Reds are going to continue to look elsewhere. Sarasota mayor Lou Ann Palmer urged the commission to give a final decision on the new plan. "We can't continue to play games with the Reds," she said. "We need a decision."

I don't think the Reds would accept a $31 million rebuilding job, which is what Patterson's matching proposal amounts to.

posted by John Fay at 1:05 PM

I am not certain to make of all this. First, they will vote in 2 weeks to change it from a supermajority to a 3-2 vote. Second, they will put the 17.8 million on the ballot again. Third, they would vote for 7.8 million, but that won't be enough for the Reds. Fourth, I fully expect the Reds to move to Arizona after the games that Sarosota keeps trying to play.

[Carin4Narron]

The Reds will get backlashed if they do the Arizona thing. Plus fans won't like sharing the complex with Cleveland. Therefore, they will probably stay in Fla, in Sarasota, most likely.
What's the hurry anyway? The Reds have a option to stay in Sarasota until 2009.

[AmarilloRed]

The Reds are as good as gone from Sarasota. Time to pack up the grapefruit, the shuffleboard cues and the hangovers from the Daiquiri Deck. The Reds won’t be there much longer. The place doesn’t want them. At least not enough.

How do you feel about brown?

The Sarasota County commission voted 3-2 Tuesday to keep talking about the $41 million required to renovate Ed Smith Stadium. But at least two of the commissioners made it known they’re not crazy about paying millions to keep a major league baseball team happy.


• Comment: Should the Reds move spring training?

It’s a bad time to ask for money in Florida. Homeowners insurance rates are through the tops of the royal palms, property taxes aren’t far behind. Half the state is being foreclosed upon. They’re not in the mood to be charitable to a baseball team, even if it is with tax dollars from tourists. And really, who can blame them?

See you later, Siesta Key.

For their part, the Reds have been generous, at least by the current standards of pro sports teams. With Arizona towns chasing major league clubs like paparazzi at a Britney sighting, the Reds tried to make it work in Florida. Owner Bob Castellini believed that tradition and convenience for fans demanded the club give Sarasota the right of first refusal.

And second . . .

And third . . .

The Reds asked originally for a new ballpark. That didn’t fly. They asked for renovations to the current place, which was built on a landfill and tends to flood.

Voters said no in November. Now this last-ditch try.

The commissioners needed a 4-1 “super majority’’ vote Tuesday, to approve Sarasota County’s proposed $17.6 million portion of the deal. They said nope. They let it be known that the 4-1 majority would only fly if the county’s part of the bill was reduced to what the state is paying, $7.9 million.

That means the $41 million renovation just dropped to $31 million and trinkets.

That’s barely enough to replace the ratty carpet in the executive offices. The commission also voted to put the original $17.6 million request on a special election ballot in April or May. Nice try.

As commission member Shannon Staub put it, sadly, “If I’m the Reds, I’m saying I’ve been through this before.’’ Commissioner Joe Barbetta said the amended vote was “the death blow.’’

The wonder isn’t that the ballclub now likely will set its sights on Goodyear, Ariz.; the wonder is that it took this long. Check out these options:

Goodyear: Share a new, $100 million complex with the Cleveland Indians, free of charge.

Sarasota: Stay in 19-year-old Ed Smith. Contribute $9 million.

Goodyear: Enjoy better facilities, shorter travel times to games and more certain weather conditions.

Sarasota: Drive at least an hour to almost every place you play, deal with the occasional rainout. Did we mention the carpet?

We love ya, Longboat Key. But looks ain’t everything.

Nothing is certain yet. Goodyear has the Indians for 2009, and the money in place to build them what they need. The city’s hope always has been for a second team, but at the moment the money is there just for one. Calls to the Goodyear city manager’s office were not returned Tuesday, but several Reds insiders said dollars would not be an issue once a team had made a commitment.

Unlike Florida, Arizona is eager to have teams play baseball there in March.

To me, trading Sarasota for Goodyear is like dealing a Maserati for a bicycle. Florida in March is a slice of pineapple in a pina colada. Arizona is a warm beer. But staying in southwest Florida makes little sense for the Reds.

What and who is spring training for? Players to prepare for a season? Or fans to see their heroes up close in the sunshine? Credit to Castellini for thinking of Reds fans. But it’s probably not a good enough reason to stay in Florida.

Understand: Tuesday’s commission vote didn’t involve spending a dime of anyone’s money. It was to agree to continue to discuss how to keep the Reds from moving somewhere they might actually be wanted.

Sarasota County commissioners might not have put the Reds on the plane Tuesday. But they gave them a map to the airport.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080122/COL03/301220074/1062/SPT


I think those are some pretty good reasons why the Reds will eventually move to Arizona, even if it is not in Goodyear.

[smoke6]

My parents have a condo in 'Sota and IMO Ed Smith is a dump. I'm not sure how things are in Goodyear, but they have to be better. Of course, I'm spoiled. 5/3 Field is the nicest stadium in the Minors.

[Bip Roberts]

I see nothing wrong with sharing a place with Indian fans. Probably has more pros than cons

[redsfanfalcon]

The Reds will get backlashed if they do the Arizona thing. Plus fans won't like sharing the complex with Cleveland. Therefore, they will probably stay in Fla, in Sarasota, most likely.
What's the hurry anyway? The Reds have a option to stay in Sarasota until 2009.

There are actually 3 one year options to stay in Sarasota. I'm not sure if this is the first year of that, or next year is.

[BEETTLEBUG]

Let us share with Braves in Orlando.

[gedred69]

There is also some interest from Cape Coral, (Lee County, Ft. Myers) where the redsox and Twins are. The Reds would have to have their own complex built, but would share a stadium with either of the above, both teams would like that, and a deal was almost struck 3 years ago with the Indians. Indians wanted a 70 million dollar complex and to share Ed Hammond with the Twins. Dunno where the complex was to go in Lee County, but Cape Coral has the land, that could now be relatively cheap. That would be heaven for me, as the only reason I have been to ST so many times in the last 8 years is family to stay with in Ft. Myers. (No hotel cost). I don't have family in Az. The Reds have the option of staying in Sarasota for the next 3 years, a lot can happen between now and then...............